Mail-bag



(No Model.)

vC. W. TERPENING 8v C. THOMAS. MAILBAG.

No. 443,230.- Patented Dec. 23., 1890.

asco., worn-mno., wnumarou n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON lV. TERPENING AND CHARLES THOMAS, OF BEDFORD, IOVA.

yMAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,230, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed February Z4, 1890. Serial No. 341,510. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that we, CLINTON lV. TER- PENING and CHARLES THoMAs, citizens of the United States, residing at Bedford, in the county of Taylor and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful MaiLBag, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in inail-bags.

The object of the present invention is to provide a maii-bag of simple and inexpensive construction,I adapted to be securely locked to prevent the extraction of letters, and capable of directing the latter away from the edges at the mouth of the bag and of preventing the same being torn or otherwisel injured by contact with those edges.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a mail-bag embodying the invention, the niouth of the bag being open. Fig. 2 is a top plan View, the mouth being closed and the bag being locked. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line :c of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a mail bag or pouch constructed of leather, canvas, or other suitable material, and having its upper edges or mouth 2 provided with four plates 3, 4, 5, and 6, that are bent longitudinally at right angles and are L-shaped in cross-section and have vertical flanges 7, that are secured to the sides of the bag 1, and horizontal flanges S, that extend inward over the mouth of the bag and are adapted when the mout-h is closed to lap over one another and securely close the mouth and prevent the extraction of letters.

The sides of the bag are riveted or otl1erwise secured to the inner faces of the vertical flanges 7 of the plate, and the bag is provided upon its outer faces with a strip 9 of material similar to the bag, that is secured to the outer face of the vertical ange, preferably by the same rivets that secure the bag to the flange, and the lower edge of the strip 9 is secured to the bag, and the said strip provides a recess or groove around the bag in which is arranged a rope or other packing 10, that bulges the bag inward beyond the edges of the horizontal plate, and when the mail is being dumped from the bag the letters strike the bulging sides and are directed inward and do not come in Contact with the edges of the plates, and are thereby protected and prevented being torn or otherwise injured. The plates are provided at their adjacent ends with eyes 11, in which are arranged pintles 12 and 13. The pintles 13 are provided at their upper ends with eyes 14, in which are arranged rings 15, that afford ready means for opening the mouth of the bag and separating the plates and for closing the bag.

One of the plates 6 is provided with a staple 16, that is arranged horizontally and projects inward and is adapted when the bag is closed to extend through a slot 17 of the adjacent opposite plate 3, and the bag is locked by a padlock whose shackle is passed through the staple 16.

From the foregoing description and the accom panying drawings the construction, operation, and advantages of the invent-ion will readily be understood.

That ,we claim is- A mail bag or pouch provided at its upper edges with the plates hinged together and adapted to close the mouth of the bag, the strip 9, secured to the bag and the outer faces of the vertical flanges of the plates and forming a groove or recess below the plates, and the packing arranged within the groove or recess and bulging the bag to direct the contents of the bag inward and prevent the same coming in contact with the edges of said plates, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto aiixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON XV. TERPENING.

CHARLES THOMAS.

Witnesses:

EZRA STEPHENS, S. M. MoKIssreK. 

